Leonard at Large

Goat project for 4-H members to consider

Last week National 4-H Week was observed, a time for special promotion of 4-H.

Effort is being made to recruit new members and volunteer leaders. The theme for this year is "4-H online!"

Still, there are many other aspects to 4-H in addition to the computer and the Internet.

Members and clubs are in the process of getting organized for the new club year and to do program development. This is the time of year when young people are selecting 4-H projects to enroll in. There are many projects to be considered. When selecting a project, many factors need to be taken into account, including the family situation.

In all projects it is the young person who is important. There are many things that the participant can gain in the development toward becoming an adult. In all of the projects life skills are learned. True, they learn subject matter, but that is only one aspect of what might be learned in each project.

In all of the projects, responsibility is developed. Perhaps this is especially true with animal-centered projects. There is also a pride of ownership that develops when the participants have animals. This is true whether it is a livestock, horsemanship, dog or rabbit project.

When I was young I had the opportunity to have my own dairy cattle. That meant much to me and was a valuable experience.

Betty Pitts and I were recently talking about the goats being exhibited at the Vernon County Youth Fair and how the number of goat exhibits is apparently increasing and gaining in status. She was a pioneer for the project in Vernon County and served as committee chairman at the fair.

She said that she came to the University Extension Center and asked George Graham, dairy specialist, and me about starting the 4-H goat project in Vernon County and we supported her on the idea. Since that time, goats have been included in the projects that members might undertake in 4-H and have been included in the fair every year since.

In our nation, goats have been a minor enterprise. However, there have been some large herds which were a major enterprise for those few farmers. Generally, goats were something that you might see in the Ozarks. They were typically raised for milk production and generally were not worth much. Even at the fair, they were not accepted with other exhibitors as well as other livestock.

That is changing. Now goats are selling for a good price -- especially breeding stock. Special goat auctions are being held. Goat ranches are located in such places as Iowa. The numbers have become large in Texas. There are new goat slaughtering plants being constructed in some locations. Some ethnic groups that are moving into the United States bring with them a demand for goat meat. The number of goats in the United States, including Missouri, is on the increase.

As a result of the increasing numbers, it's likely we will be seeing an increase in goats as 4-H projects, with more exhibiting this project at the fair.

For those who are looking for a value-added product on the farm, goat production is a possibility. Many have a few acres and have a job, using a small farm as a place to live. For these part-time farmers, goats are becoming an answer for many of them as a source of extra income.

One retired person moved to Cedar County on a nine-acre farm. His major objective in raising goats is keeping down the weeds and cutting down on mowing.

For those who already own goats, it follows naturally for the children to have goats as a 4-H project. For others, if the situation is right, goats can be added to the acreage for a 4-H project. The dairy goat project takes relative little space. They are also relatively easy to care for and to handle because of size and disposition.

Youth and goats can make a good combination. Goats are versatile, as a dairy animal, a meat animal or a pet.

Unfamiliarity with goats does not prohibit allowing the children to enroll in the project. In fact, that is one of the reasons for projects -- to learn subject matter. Learning by doing is the best way to learn, and 4-H involves the entire family.

In some locations, children prefer the goats over working with swine or sheep, finding them easier to handle. While enrolling in goat projects is not for every member, it is a possible alternative for many.

Times change, and as the popularity of the project grows, there will be more support for it than in previous years. Project leaders will find there are several sources for obtaining information, including the American Dairy Goat Association and the breed associations.

Regardless of the project selected in 4-H, the 4-H project is a tool for the development of the member.

For additional information about the goat project or any of the other projects, contact Carol Parmenter, 4-H youth specialist at the University Extension Center located on the ground floor at the Vernon County Courthouse, (417) 448-2560.